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Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Special Considerations in Home Care
Published in Danielle L. Terry, Michelle E. Mlinac, Pamela L. Steadman-Wood, Providing Home Care for Older Adults, 2020
Luis Richter, Ami Bryant, William Gibson, Clair Rummel
Providers should provide the same standard of care they provide in same-room care. In addition, multiple professional organizations have issued clinical practice guidelines for telehealth; for example, the American Psychological Association’s 2013 Guidelines for Telepsychology. It is important for providers to be familiar with these and able to apply them when appropriate.
Healthcare analytics
Published in Edward M. Rafalski, Ross M. Mullner, Healthcare Analytics, 2022
Kasey Knopp, Naakesh (Nick) Dewan
In March 2020, federal, state and private agencies enacted numerous policy and regulatory changes to expand the use of telehealth to address continuity of care and to practice precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic (Weigel, Ramaswamy, Sobel et al., 2020). Telepsychiatry is the application of telehealth within the specialty of psychiatry. Other associated terms are tele-mental health and tele-psychology, which refers to the administration of therapy or psychological treatment through technological means, such as video conferencing or telephone call (O’Brien & McNicholas, 2020). Prior to the pandemic, forms of telehealth (e.g. telepsychiatry) were limited to a small group of individuals living in designated rural settings, as long as the visit took place in a licensed medical facility (Showalter, 2020; Weigel et al., 2020). In addition, any telehealth visit could only occur with previously established providers, of which, a license to practice had to be valid in the state in which they were located at the time of services, as well as being licensed in the state in which the patient received care (Showalter, 2020; Weigel et al., 2020). Other important change affecting uptake up telehealth included cost sharing benefits, which allowed providers to reduce or waive all cost sharing for telehealth visits, as well as the inclusion of telephone calls as opposed to application or video-based platforms (Showalter, 2020). While there is no guarantee these emergency flexibilities to policies and regulations will outlast COVID-19, they made a clear and substantial impact on telepsychiatry utilization.
Patients’ rights and responsibilities, health care reform, and telehealth: Ethical considerations
Published in Mark J. Ashley, David A. Hovda, Traumatic Brain Injury, 2017
Thomas R. Kerkhoff, Stephanie L. Hanson
There has also been some discussion in the literature surrounding when it is appropriate to use telehealth services and who is appropriate for telehealth services with special consideration given to individuals with severe psychiatric disorders. The APA29 has advised providers to consider conducting an initial in-person meeting to discuss the unique benefits and risks of telehealth, taking into account cultural and other factors prior to initiating services. Kuemmel and Luxton30 discussed this issue at the annual rehabilitation psychology conference and recommended the use of an initial in-person assessment when feasible. Their rationale was that it could offer insights into the client that would be more challenging to acquire via telepsychology. They point out that an initial in-person assessment eliminates concerns regarding selection of assessment tools that might be less reliable or valid in an electronic delivery platform. Being face-to-face would also allow for immediate crisis evaluation and response in patients presenting with significant psychological distress who are not yet well known to the provider. Their stated preference was to use telepsychology with clients with reduced suicidal risk and good social support. That said, there are examples in the literature supporting telehealth services for those under significant distress. Gros, Veronee, Strachan, Ruggiero, and Acierno31 shared a case example of a military veteran living in a rural community who presented with suicidal ideation. They indicated telehealth actually facilitated patient safety because the provider had the opportunity to stay directly connected to monitor the patient’s status while plans were implemented for the individual’s safe transportation to an inpatient unit. In general, the evidence is mounting that telehealth can be used with a variety of different patients with equal or better clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.32,33
Treating from Afar: Mental Health Providers’ Challenges and Concerns During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published in Behavioral Medicine, 2022
Tao Lin, Suzannah J. Stone, Timothy Anderson
Therapists reported various concerns regarding telepsychology, clinical practice, and their personal lives during the public health crisis. The first two areas of concern were associated with the effectiveness of telepsychology. The most common concerns among therapists were: being unable to use some therapeutic techniques (e.g., role-play) and provide some psychological services (e.g., assessment) remotely, and the therapist’s own health. These findings can inform the development and implementation of telepsychology during the pandemic and beyond. In addition to the alteration of clinical work, the pandemic has changed therapists’ individual lives.9 Therapists’ concern about their personal lives, though not directly associated with therapy effectiveness, may affect their well-being in the long-term. Thus, continued awareness of these personal concerns and opportunities for self-care are needed.
Shifting psychosocial oncology care to telepsychology during the COVID-19 pandemic
Published in Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 2021
Shannon Myers Virtue, Hillary L. Howrey, Nicole M. Duffy, Meaghan Wallace
Telehealth refers to the provision of medical care services using technological modalities in lieu of, or in addition to, traditional face-to-face methods. Telepsychology, often conceptualized as a form of telehealth, refers to the provision of behavioral and/or mental health care services using technological modalities.5 The practice of telepsychology has been around for a few decades with published articles advocating for more widespread use of telepsychology in the 1990s.6 Common reasons to advocate for telepsychology services include increasing access to services to those in rural settings, the need for ‘in-home’ care for medical populations, provider shortages, and logistical barriers to attending in-person sessions.6–8 There is even evidence to support telepsychology in the treatment of various psychological conditions including anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and adjustment disorder.9 Despite the recognition of the potential benefits of telepsychology, the practice of telepsychology was only slowly growing. A study in 2000 found that only about 2% of psychologists in the sample had utilized some form of telehealth practice.10 This number grew to 10% in 2008.11 However, a survey conducted in 2019 suggested that the majority of psychologists still had never practice telepsychology.12 Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were frequently noted barriers to the widespread practice of telepsychology. Patient barriers include lack of broadband and/or reliable internet, privacy concerns, and insurance coverage.7,8 Provider barriers include limited practice and/or organizational resources, lack of training, and provider discomfort.7,8,12